Packaging machine



Oct. 19 1948. M. J. GREBowlr-:c

PACKAGING MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed May 15, 1945 Oct. 19 1948. M.J. GREBowlEc PACKAGING MACHINE Oct. 19 1948. M. J. GREBowlEc 2,451,617

PACKAGING MACHINE Filed May 15, 1945 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A RNEY MIU-mig d.EREEUWIELE.

Patented Oct. 19, 1948 UNTED STATES ENT orFicE 2,451,617A PACKAGINGMACHINE Application May 15, 1945, Serial No. 593,923

10 Claims.

The present invention relates to packaging machines, and particularly amachine for successively separating a continuous row of interengagedarticles into groups of a desired number and successively feeding eachgroup into a carton designed to receive the group of articles in theirinterengaged relation. The machine is especially intended for thepackaging of belt links of the type used for ammunition belts, andwherein each link consists of two axially spaced and aligned end bandsand an intermediate axially offset band integrally connected to the endbands, this intermediate band of each link adapted to be interengaged inthe space between the end bands of the forwardly adjacent link. Theinterengaged links are hingedly connected by the engagement therewith ofthe cartridges, each cartridge being engaged with the two end bands ofone link and the interengaged intermediate band of the adjacent link.

Upon occasion it becomes necessary to de-link the ammunition belt byremoving the cartridges, and this `operation is performed in ade-linking machineinto which the ammunition belt is fed, the cartridgesbeing successively withdrawn therefrom so that the individual linksbecome loose and free to separate from each other as the cartridges aredisengaged therefrom. It is proposed in the present invention to providea packaging machine into which the interengaged links are continuouslyfed from the de-linking machine, While still remaining in interengagedrelation with each other, to the end that packaging of the link's may becarried out without the operation, heretofore required, of manuallyre-arranging the separated links in interengaged relation, thuseffecting a great saving of time in the packaging of the links andprotecting them from such damage as is apt t take place under theprevious practice of directing the loose links from the de-linkingmachine into barrels.

A further object is to provide a packaging machine in which the row ofinterengaged links is adapted to have the desired number of links to bepackaged, as for example ten links, separated from interengaged relationwith the following links in the row, and thereupon ejected into thecarton, and to this end it is proposed to provide ejector feed meansarranged to engage the end bands of the last link of the group to beejected, so that upon ejecting movement thereof these end bands aredisengaged from the intermediate link of the succeeding link in the row.

It is further proposed to provide actuating means for effecting theintermittent operation of 2 the ejector feed means adapted to beactuated by the foremost link of the group to be fed, and arranged to beengaged by the forwardly projecting intermediate band of this foremostlink under the forward feed pressure of the fully interengaged group oflinks to be ejected.

A further obj ect is to provide a packaging machine in which pressuremeans is provided for assembling and maintaining the links of each groupto be separated and ejected in their fully interengaged relationv Witheach. other.

A further object is to provide a packaging machine in which the movementof the row of articles therethrough is imparted thereto through theintermittent movement of the adjacent delinking machine, whereinindexing means is Iprovided to intermittently feed the successive linksof the ammunition belt into position to have the cartridges successivelyremoved.

With the above and other objects in view, an embodiment of the inventionis shown in the accompanying drawings, and this embodiment will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the packaging machine according to theillustrated exemplary embodiment of the invention, and showing a portionof the ammunition belt lie-linking machine associated therewith.

Fig. 2 is a plan View.

Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view, partially broken away and on anenlarged scale, of the packaging machine, taken along the line 3-3 ofFig. 2, the dot-and-dash lines showing the actuated position of theejector slide control lever.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevation, showing the ejector slideactuating means in the position to which it is moved by operation of thecontrol lever to the dot-and-dash line position shown in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a side elevation showing the fully projected position of theejector slide.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary plan View, showing the ejector slide actuatingmeans in the position to which it is moved by the full projection of theejector slide, as shown in Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a transverse vertical sectional view, taken along the line 1 1of Fig. 3.

Fig. 8 is a transverse vertical sectional View, taken along the line 8 8of Fig. 3.

Fig. 9 is a top plan view of the chute member of the machine, partiallybroken away, and with is the associated parts of the machine normallymounted thereon removed.

Fig. is a bottom plan view of the chute member. l

Fig. 11 is a perspective View of one of the pressure spring retainingclips employed in the machine.

Fig. 12 is a perspective view of one of the'pressure springs. Y

Fig. 13 is a perspective View of yone of the ammunition Ibelt links ofthe type illustrated as being packaged in the illustrated exemplaryembodiment of the invention.

Similar reference `characters indicate corresponding parts throughoutthe several gures of the drawings.

Referring to ythe drawings, the packaging machine according to theillustrated exemplary embodiment of t-he invention, is shown associatedwith an ammunition belt de-linking machine EG provided with an indexinggear Il which intermittently feeds the ammunition belt to successivelybring 'the cartridges I2 into position to be Withdrawn from the belt, asindicated by the arrow in Fig. 2, by a suitable extractor mechanism, notshown. The belt -is made up of a series of interengaged or meshed linkmembers of the type illustrated in Fig. 13, each consisting of forwardand rearward axially aligned and axially lspaced end bands I3 and it,and an axially offset intermediate tband i5 integrally connected to theend bands by extended web portions I3 and Il of the end bands. Theforward end band I3 is tapered to receive the reduced diameter neckportion of the cartridge, while the rearward end band Ii `and theintermediate band I5 are of substantially cylindrical form to receivethe body of the cartridge, and in practice the links are interengaged sothat the intermediate band I5 lof one link engages Ibetween the endbands I 3 and I@ of the adjacent link, a cartridge being insertedthrough the aligned bands Iii, i5 and I3 to thereby hingedly connect thelinks.

Adjacent the indexing gear I I there is provided a downwardly curvedguide plate i8 upon which the links move from, Ithe indexing gearthrough the intermittent indexing movement of the gear following eachcartridge extracting operation, an upper guide arm i9 being provided toengage the upper sides of the links to retain them in interengagedrelation. According to the invention the interengaged links move fromthe guide IS into the feed `chute of the packaging machine and arepropelled therethrough through the feeding force of the indexing gear.

The packaging machine comprises an elongated horizontally disposed chutemember of rectangular cross-section consisting of a top strip 253, abottom strip 2E and Side strips 22-22, the latter being provi-ded upontheir inner sides adjacent their upper and lower edges with angularseating recesses in which the side edges of the -t-op and bottom stripsare engaged and secured by screws The vertical dep-th of the recesses2,3 is slightly greater than the thickness of the -top and bottomstrips, so that the outer surfaces of the latter are slightly inset withrespect to the upper and lower edge surfaces of the side strips, andwhich are adapted to provide lslideway surfaces for the ejector slideVof the machine, as will presently more fully appear. At its rforwardend the bottom strip projects beyond the forward edge of the top stripto provide a support for the article receiving carton C, as shown bydot-and-dash 4. lines in Fig. 1, the forward ends of the side stripsbeing provided at their lower edges with forwardly projecting supportingportions 25 to support the forwardly projecting end of the bottom strip.

Carton guides 26-25 are secured upon the forward ends of the side strips2?.-22 and project above the forwardly projecting portions Z5, theirinner Ifaces being inclined to provide va converging entrance for theconvenient engagement of the open end of the carton with the end of thechute. lThe rearward ends of these carton guides provide abutment stops2'I-2'I upon lthe outer sides of the chute member to limit the forwardejecting movement of the ejector feed slide, as will presently morefully appear.

At its rearward end the chute has secured to its under side a cross bar2S, which projects outwardly at each side and is -secured to the forwardend of the curved guide I8 by means of bolts .2e-12S. At a pointintermediate its ends, the chute is supported by means of a verticalsupport member 3d secured to the chute bottom and provided with ahorizontal-base 3| bolted to the ibase 32 of the (ie-linking machine.

The ejector feed slide is slidably mounted for reciprocating movementupon the chute, and compri-ses side plates 33-33, provided upon theirinner faces with slideway channels Sli having sliding engagement withthe sides of the chute member, la top plate 35 secured upon the upperends of the side plates, and a bottom plate 33 secured upon the lowerends. The forward edge of the bottom plate 3e is rearwardly spaced fromthe forward end-s of the side plates 33, and at the lower corners of theside plates, below the chute member and forwardly of the bottom plate36, there is pivotally mounted a cross shaft Sl' upon which are securedejector fingers 38 and 39, these fingers projecting at an inclined angleupwardly and forwardly through longitudinal slots 4'0-40 provided alongthe side edges of the chute lbottom ZI. The slots ill extend from Iapoint contiguous to the forward end of the chute bottom Ato a pointwithin the ejector feed slide in the retracted position of the latter.Centrally of the cross shaft 37 Ithere is secured a rearwardlyprojecting finger control arm QI, normally resting upon the uppersurface of the bottom plate 35 and engaged by the forward end of a leafspring i2 secured Ito the bottom plate by means of bolts 4th-53. Theangular relation of the control arm I to the ejector fingers is suchthat in the normal article ejecting position, as shown in Figs. l and 5,the ejector ngers project Iinto the chute into position to engage behindthe end bands I3 and I i of `one of the link members, the yield-abilityof the =leaf spring lI2 permitting the ejector fingers to Ibe pressed incounter-clockwise direction, to permit the forward feed of the linksover the fingers in the retracted position of the ejector feed slide,and to permit the ngers to ride under the links during the retractingmovement of the ejector feed slide.

Projecting movement is imparted to the ejector feed slide lby a pistonrod 44 connected at its yfor-- ward end to an angular bracket securedyupon the under side of the bottom plate 36 by the bolts 53, the piston'head 44' at the rearward end of Ithe rod being engaged in an aircylinder 43 supported upon the chute bottom in brackets IVI-41.Retracting movement is imparted to ythe slide by a pair of helicalIcompression spring 48-48 connected at Atheir forward ends to studs 49at each side of the slide and connected at their rearward ends to screws58 secured upon the projecting ends of the cross bar 28 at the rearwardend of the chute member. Longitudinally adjustable stop screws 5l-5l areprovided at each `side of the upper end of the chute support 38 and areengaged bythe rearward edges of the side plates 33 of the slide to limitthe retracted position of the slide under the pull of the springs 48.

Compressed air is supplied to the air cylinder through an air feed pipe52 extending from the rearward end of the air cylinder to a controlvalve 53 secured upon the chute top, the compressed air being suppliedto the control valve through an air supply pipe 54, preferably having ashut off cock 55 inserted therein to enable the air supply to be shutoff when the machine is inoperative. The control valve is provided witha vertically disposed cylindrical bore 56, to which three radial portsextend, one port 51 being connected to the air supply pipe 54, a secondport 58 being connected to the air feed pipe 52, and a third port 59being the exhaust port and opening to the atmosphere. The port 58connected to the feed pipe 52 and the exhaust port 59 are in the samehorizontal plane, while the port 51 connected to the air supply pipe 54is in a downwardly olset horizontal plane, for a purpose presently to bemore fully described.

Within the bore 56 there is secured a cylindri- 5;@

cal bushing 60 provided with circular ports 6l and 62, respectively inregister with the ports` `51 and 59, and with a vertically elongatedport 63 having its upper end in register with the port 58 connected tothe air feed pipe 52 and in the f horizontal plane of the exhaust port59, while its lower end is in the horizontal plane of the port 51connected to the air supply pipe 54.

Slidably engaged within the bushing is a cylindrical valve core 64provided at its lower end with a flange 65 disposed beneath the lowerend of the bushing 66, this lower end of the bushing being upwardlyspaced from the base of the bore 56 to provide a space in which theflange 65 moves during the upward and downward sliding movement of thevalve core, abutment of the flange with the lower end of the bushinglimiting the upward movement, and the abutment of the lower end of thecore with the bottom of the bore limiting the downward movement. Thismovement is predetermined to correspond to the vertical offset distancebetween the air supply port 51 and the feed and exhaust ports 58 and 59.Intermediate its ends the Valve core is provided with an annular groove66 adapted in the raised position of the core to register with the feedport 58 and the exhaust port 59, and in the lowered position of the coreto register with the lower end of the vertically elongated slot 63 andthe air supply port 51.

Thus in the raised position of the core, Figs. 3 and 5, the air cylinder44 is in communication with the atmosphere through the pipe 52, the portl58, the upper end of the slot 63, the groove 66, the port 62 and theexhaust port 59. In the lowered position of the core, Fig. 4, compressedair is supplied to the air cylinder through the air supply pipe 54, theport 51, the port 6 l the groove 66, the slot 63, the port 58 and thefeed pipe 52, to cause the ejector feed slide to be projected forwardly.

The core 64 is provided with a stepped axial bore 61, in the upperreduced passage of which is engaged a plunger 68 provided at its lowerend with a flange 69 normally forced upwardly against the step of thebore by a helical spring 10 disposed within the lower enlarged passage,this spring being retained by a threaded plug 1| screwed in the lowerthreaded end of the bore. The valve core is normally retained in itsraised position by means of springs 12, connected between studs 13--13at each side of the upper end of the core and a lift lever 14, thelatter being of bell crank form and pivotally mounted by means of across pin 15 in a bracket member 16 secured upon the upper side of thevalve body.

The downwardly extending arm of the lift lever is engaged at the forwardside of a collar 11 secured upon a horizontally disposed valve controlrod 18, having sliding bearing at its rearward end in a passage 19 ofthe bracket 16, and at its forward end in a bracket secured to theforward end of the chute top, a movement limiting collar 82 beingsecured upon the forward end of the control rod forwardly of the bracket88". A collar 83 is secured upon the rod 18 in rearwardly spacedrelation to the bracket 80, and a helical spring 84 is disposed betweenthe co1- lar 83 and the bracket 80 normally exerting rearward pressureupon the rod 18 to engage the movement limiting collar 82 with thebracket 86. In this retracted position of the rod 18 the springs 12 ofthe lift lever 14 retain the valve core in its raised position. Theresistance of these springs however, is less than that of the plungerspring 10 within the core, so that, upon downward pressure being appliedto the end of plunger 68, the springs 12 yield while the spring 1Uresists compression, and therefore the core is pressed downwardly by theplunger.

Automatic actuation of the valve to cause the feed slide to be projectedis accomplished through cooperation of the valve control means with theforemost link being fed in the chute, and at a point where the chutecontains a continuous line of fully interengaged links and the feedingforce of the indexing gear II transmits sulcient pressure to theforemost link to impart movement to the valve control means. For thispurpose there is provided a valve control lever 85 pivotally mountednear its forward end in a bracket 86 secured to the chute top, theforward end of the control lever being provided with a downwardlyprojecting contact portion 81, disposed in a slot 88 in the forward endof the chute top and normally having its lower surface projecting withinthe chute in the path of the intermediate bend portion I5 of theforemost link member.

Upon the rearward end of the control lever there is secured an extensionbracket member 89 engaged through the passage of the ejector feed slidebetween the chute top and the top plate 35 of the slide, this bracketmember being bent upwardly at the rear of the feed slide and beingprovided at its upper end with a laterally disposed bearing supportportion 90. The bracket member 89 is normally maintained in its raisedposition by means of a helical spring 9! disposed beneath the rearwardarm of the control lever 85 and having its ends engaged in pockets 92and 93 respectively provided in the lever and the chute top. Upon theunder side of the bearing support portion S9 there is pivotally mountedby means of a pivot stud 94 a valve check lever 95 normally projectingdirectly above the plunger 63 of the air valve, being yieldably held inthis position against a stop lug 96 by means of a spring 91 connectedbetween an outwardly projecting arm 98 of the valve check lever and aspring arm 99 secured to 'i7 the upper end of the bracket member. Thevalve check -lever is provided with an actuating nger IED projectingoutwardly at the opposite side from the arm 98 and normally disposedslightly forwardly of and in upwardly raised relation to a collar IBIsecured to the valve control rod i3, whereby downward valve actuatingmovement of the bracket member B8 is adapted to dispose the end of theactuating linger 50% forwardly in the path of the collar ll, as willpresently more fully appear.

A lever equalizer arm H82 is pivotally mounted at its rearward end upona bracket Eil?, secured upon the chute top at one side of the valvecontrol lever 35, and projects forwardly to a point slightly rearwardlyof the mounting bracket of the valve control lever, being engagedintermediate its ends with a horizontally projecting pin I0@ secured tothe valve control'lever. The forwardV end of the equalizer arm normallyprojects above the valve control lever 55 and in the forwardly projectedposition of the feed slide is adapted to be engaged thereby to retainthe Valve control lever in its actuated position, as shown in Fig, 5.Due to the off center location of the pivot of the control lever, andthe tolerance between the lever and the ejector slide in its projectedpositions, the lever equalizer arm functions to maintain the necessarydepressed position of the control lever, and consequently, a constantpressure on the valve plunger 68 controlling the valve action. Y

Upon the upper side of the ejector feed slide there is secured a valverod actuating bracket IE5 having a recess IEa in its upper end engagedby the valve control rod '18. Upon the forward movement of the slide'thebracket engages the collar B3 of the control rod to move it forwardlyfor the purpose of actuating the air control valve to its position toeffect retraction of the slide, as will presently more fully appear.

The top strip 2l of the chute member is provided along its rearwardportion with a pair of longitudinally aligned slots ISS- It disposed atone side of the longitudinal center line, so that the inner edges of theend bands 'le of the belt links are in line therewith, a pressure leafspring Il being secured upon the dividing portion of the top stripbetween the two slots and projecting downwardly within the forwardlydisposed slot to engage the upper surfaces of the end bands Ill and theintermediate bands i5 of the interengaged links, so that as they are fedinto the chute under the feeding force of the indexing gear pressure isexerted thereon to cause them to fully interengage with each other.

Along the forward portion of the top strip and directly beneath thevalve control lever 85 there are provided two longitudinally alignedpairs of parallel slots IDE-|88, disposed forwardly and rearwardly ofthe pocket 93 in which the spring 9| is engaged. The strips between theslots provide longitudinally extending ribs it-39 upon which are mounteda series of aligning springs I I 0 arranged to engage the forward groupof links in the chute after they pass forwardly of the ejector fingersof the slide to retain these links in fully interengaged or meshedrelation. These springs are of hair pin form and are each secured by aclip I I I of inverted U-shape which straddles the rib IS and is securedthereto by a screw I I2, the bight of the spring being engaged about thescrew beneath the top of the clip and its side legs extending downwardlyat a forward angle at each side of the rib with their lower endsprojecting lever 35.

Sil

into the passage-way of the chute, these ends being curved to engage theupper sides of the intermediate band portion I5 of the links with awiping action as the links are fed forwardly.

A guard plate l i3 is secured to the bracket 8U, and serves to protectthe hands of the operator as the cartons are successively placed at theend of the chute, and also holds the cover flap of the carton in openposition.

The operation is as follows:

As shown in Fig. 3 the continuous row of interengaged linkshas reached apoint in the chute member, under the propelling force from the indexinggear I I of the de-linking machine, where the intermediate band I5 ofthe foremost link is about to engage and operate the valve controlFurther propelling movement causes the band l5 of the foremost link toengage beneath the contact portion 8l of the valve control lever, asshown by the dot-and-dash lines in Fig. 3, causing the control lever tobe moved to its depressed position, as shown in Figs. 4, and. 5 anddepressing the core 64 of the control valve. In this position of thevalve core compressed air fiows from the supply pipe 54 through theValve to the feed pipe 52, and thence to the air cylinder Ll, causingthe piston rod to be projected for.- wardly to impart forward movementto the ejector feed slide. WAt the point where the air valve is actuatedthere are ten fully interengaged link members disposed forwardly of theejector fingers 33 and Se, which respectively engage behind the endbands I3 and I 4 of the tenth link, and as the slide is moved forwardlythe group of ten links is ejected into the carton C, the last link ofthe group being disengaged from the inter: mediate band I5 of thefollowing linkin the chute, as shown in Fig. 5.

ing the portion of the projecting movet the eiector feed slide intoengagement the limit stops il, the bracket 85 engages the of the Valvecontrol rod 'I8 moving it y to the position shownin Figs. 5 and 6. lcauses the collar le! to engage the actuating finger of the valve checklever 95, swinging it in counter-clockwise direction to disengage thecheck lever from the upper end of the valve phfnger 58. At the same timethe collar 'Il of the ontroi rod swings the lift lever i@ upwardly, andll of the springs 'i2 the valve core allowing the control rod 'I8 andthe conev trol lever to resume their normal positions, as shov-:n inFig. 3. As the foremost link in the rchute ches the Contact portion B?of the vcontrol lever, the cycle is repeated and another group of tencontinuing automatically as long as the links are propelled forwardly ina continuing line in the chute.

The form of the invention illustrated in the "ngs described herein istypicalandillusive only, and it is evident that the invention is ce.Lable of embodiments in other forms, all fallwithin the scope of theappended claims, which are to be broadly construed.-

V"ffl'iat is claimed is:

l, ln a packaging machine for packaging aj group of a predeterminednumber of articles ab ranged in a row, a chute member having an en isejected -into the carton, the action thustrance end and an exit end andadapted to convey A a continuous row of articles toward said exit end1means for retracting said slide, control means for effecting theactuation of said projecting stroke ejector means carried by said slideengageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articlesdisposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position ofsaid slide, contact means engageable by the first article of saidpredetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said control meansto effect the projection of said slide, and contact means engageable bysaid slide in its projected position arranged to actuate said controlmeans to eifect the termination of the projecting stroke and allow theretracting means to eiect retraction of said slide.

2. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row, a chute member having an entranceend and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of articlestoward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into saidentrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneumatic projecting meansfor projecting said slide, spring means for retracting said slide, airvalve control means for effecting the actuation of said pneumaticprojecting means, ejector means carried by said slide engageable withthe last article of a predetermined group of articles dispose forwardlyof said ejector means in the retracted position of said slide, contactmeans engageable by the first article of said predetermined group ofarticles arranged to actuate said air valve control means to effect theprojection of said slide, and contact means engageable by said slide inits projected position arranged to actuate said air valve control meansto permit the retraction of said slide under the action of said springmeans.

3. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row, a chute member having an entranceend and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row of articlestoward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into saidentrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneum; projecting means forprojecting said slide, spring means for retracting said slide, air valvecontrol means for efecting the actuation of said pneumatic projectingmeans, ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the lastarticle of a predetermined group or articles disposed forwardly of saidejector means in the retracted position of said slide, a control leverhaving contact means engageable by the first article of saidpredetermined group of articles arranged to actuate said air valvecontrol means to effect the projection of said slide, and areciprocatory control rod having contact means engageable by said slidein its projected position arranged to actuate said air valve controlmeans to permit the retraction of said slide under the action of saidspring means.

e. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles ar ranged in a row, a chute lnember having anentrance end and an exit end and adapted to ccnvey a continuous row ofarticles toward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articlesinto said entrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, pneumaticprojecting means for projecting said slide, spring means for retractingsaid slide, air valve control means for effecting the actuation of CilCil

said pneumatic projecting means, ejector means carried by said slideengageable with the last article of a predetermined group of articlesdisposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position ofsaid slide, a control lever having contact means engageable by the rstarticle of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate saidair Valve control means to eiiect the projection of said slide, anequalizer arm cooperating with said control lever and engageable by saidslide in its projected position to maintain the actuated position ofsaid control lever, and contact means engageable by said slide in itsprojected position arranged to actuate said air valve control means topermit the retraction of said slide under the actuation of said springmeans 5. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articlesis longitudinally interengaged with an adjacent article, a chute memberhaving an entrance end and an exit end and adapted to con; vey acontinuous row of interengaged articles toward said exit end as apropelling force feeds said articles into said entrance end, areciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide,retracting means for retraoting said slide, control means for effectingthe actuation of said projecting means, ejector fingers carried by saidslide engageable with the last article of a predetermined group ofarticles disposed forwardly of said ejector fingers in the retractedposition of said slide, and contact means engageable by the firstarticle of said predetermined group of articles arranged to actuate saidcontrol means to eiect the projection of said slide, whereby said lastarticle engaged by said iingers is longitudinally disengaged from thefollowing interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

6. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articlescomprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to belongitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacentarticle, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit end andadapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articles toward saidexit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into said entranceend, a reciproca' tory ejector slide, projecting means for projectingsaid slide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control meansfor effecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector fingerscarried by said slide engageable with a rearwardly disposedinterengaging portion of the last article of a predetermined group ofarticles disposed forwardly of said ejector ngers in the retractedposition of said slide, and contact means engageable by a forwardlydisposed interengaging portion of the rst article of said predeterminedgroup of articles arranged to actuate said control means to effect theprojection of said slide, whereby said last article engaged by saidfingers is longitudinally disengaged from the following interengagedarticle and said predetermined group is ejected.

7. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articlescomprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to belongitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacentsucceeding article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exitend and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articlestoward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into saidentrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means forprojecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide,control means for effecting the actuation of said projecting means, apair of ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the two endportions of the last article of a predetermined group of articlesdisposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position ofsaid slide, and contact means engageable by the intermediate portion ofthe rst article of said predetermined group of articles arranged toactuate said control means to eifect the projection of said slide,whereby said last article is longitudinally disengaged from thefollowing interengaged article and said predetermined group is ejected.

8. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of articles arranged in a row and wherein each of said articlescomprises an intermediate portion and two end portions adapted to belongitudinally interengaged with the intermediate portion of an adjacentsucceeding article, a chute member having an entrance end and an exitend and adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged articlestoward said exit end as a propelling force feeds said articles into saidentrance end, a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means forprojecting said slide, retracting means for retracting said slide,control means for eifecting the actuation of said projecting means, apair of ejector means carried by said slide engageable with the two endportions of the last article of a predetermined group of articlesdisposed forwardly of said ejector means in the retracted position ofsaid slide, pressure means within said chute member arranged tosuccessively yieldably engage the intermediate portion of the articlesof said predetermined group in opposition to saidnpropelling force asthe articles are fed through the chute, and contact means engageable bythe intermediate portion of said rst article of said predetermined groupof articles arranged to actuate said control means to effect theprojection of said slide, whereby said last article is longitudinallydisengaged from the following interengaged article and saidpredetermined group is ejected.

9. In a packaging machine for packaging a group of a predeterminednumber of cartridge belt linksvr arranged in a row and wherein each ofsaid links comprises an intermediate loop and two end loops adapted tobe longitudinally interengaged with the intermediate loop of an adjacentsucceeding link, a chute member having an entrance end and an exit endand adapted to convey a continuous row of interengaged links toward saidexit end as a propelling force feeds said links into said entrance end,a reciprocatory ejector slide, projecting means for projecting saidslide, retracting means for retracting said slide, control means foreffecting the actuation of said projecting means, ejector means carriedby said slide engageable with said two end loops of the last link of apredetermined group of links disposed forwardly of said ejector means inthe retracted position of said slide, and contact means engageable bythe intermediate loop of the first link of said predetermined group oflinks arranged to actuate said control means to effect the projection ofsaid slide, whereby said last link is longitudinally disengaged from thefollowing interengaged link and said predetermined group is ejected.

10. n combination with a de-linking machine for de-linking cartridgelink belts having an indexing gear for feeding said link belt, apackaging machine for packaging a group of a predetermined number oflinks arranged in a row and wherein each of said links is longitudinallyinterengaged With an adjacent link, comprising a chute member having anentrance end and an exit end and adapted to convey a continuous row ofinterengaged links toward said exit end as the propelling force of .saidindexing gear feeds said links into said entrance end, a reciprocatoryejector slide, projecting means for projecting said slide, retractingmeans for retracting said slide, control means for eiecting theactuation of said projecting means, ejector lingers carried by saidslide engageable with the last link of a predetermined group of linksdisposed forwardly of said ejector fingers in the retracted position ofsaid slide, and Contact means engageable by the rst link of saidpredetermined group of links arranged to actuate said control means toeffect the projection of said slide, whereby said last link engaged bysaid iingers is longitudinally disengaged from the followinginterengaged link and said predetermined group is ejected.

MICHAEL J. GREBOWIEC.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,568,082 Mitton Jan. 5, 19261,673,014 Morrison June 12, 1928 2,277,688 Cattonar et al Mar. 31, 1942

